They are to seek a meeting with a senior Highland Council official to discuss future options to improve provision for local and visiting motorists. It follows the official knockback to three small-scale schemes they had put forward.

Community councillors are frustrated at the lack of action in the face of evidence of increasing traffic congestion.

Community and Highland councillor Donnie Mackay said: "We've now had three surveys carried out by the council about parking in Thurso, though none has been done by a local person who knows the problems we have with parking.

"How much money has to be spent on more surveys before we start to get a solution?"

Mr Mackay said he was annoyed when it was suggested during discussion of a recent planning application relating to Rose Street that the town does not have a parking problem.

"It's laughable to say there's no problem," he said. "We all know there's a problem but they just won't listen to us. This really needs to be thrashed out."

Community council vice-chairman Bert Macleod also hit out at the lack of official action.

He said: "I'm sick and tired of all the surveys, reviews and consultations. The money that's been spent on these could have built a brand new car park."

Colleague Gill Arrowsmith questioned whether a town-centre site could be found for a multi-storey car park.

Mr Macleod believed an opportunity had been lost in not using the former gap site at Meadow Lane – now a housing complex – for parking.

He believed there remained an opportunity to use the nearby site of the old brewery.

Community council chairman Bob Earnshaw said he and his colleagues have regularly flagged up the shortage of parking provision.

Member Mike Potts believed that a strict enforcement of parking regulations would greatly improve the situation. He maintained there is adequate parking within easy distance of the centre, pointing out that spaces at Janet Street, the Riverside and the harbour are often unoccupied.

He said this often stems from motorists not being prepared to walk any distance to where they are going.

However, Mr Potts acknowledged that the demand for town centre spaces will grow once the Caithness Horizons visitor complex opens.

Council member Don Smith said that parking is often at a premium in the Campbell Street/Duncan Street area, which is popular with office workers.

This, he said, creates a domino effect with residents having to park a street or two away from their home.

Mr Smith had tabled three proposals on behalf of the community council to help ease congestion.

He suggested the tarring of grassed areas to provide off-street parking at the top of Barrock Street and extending the small car park at Castle Terrace, near Mount Pleasant School.

He also put forward a plan for a one-way system on Shore Street because of the danger he said exists when traffic meet on the steep, twisting, narrow brae.

The Highland Council's assistant ward manager, Robbie Mackintosh, said all three options have been given the thumbs-down by engineers.

The Barrock Street plan would be too costly and the Castle Street extension was ruled out on technical grounds. The engineers were also not convinced about the need to alter the regime at Shore Street.

Mr Mackintosh agreed that there is a particular problem in Thurso with rogue parking.

He added that the congestion is aggravated by existing car parks not been used.

"The car parks in Janet Street and the Riverside often lie empty all day long," he said.

The community council is to seek an early meeting to discuss the issue with the town's three Highland councillors and Campbell Stewart, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross area roads and community works manager.

Community councillors earlier heard the long-standing problems in enforcing parking regulations in Traill Street and other parts of the town centre have still to be resolved.

Police say they are powerless to deal with illegal parking until the yellow lines on the road are correctly aligned to the parking restriction signs.

Mr Smith said: "The police are saying one thing and the council are saying another – we need to get this sorted out once and for all."

There has also been confusion regarding the status of the two bays in Traill Street for disabled drivers.

The local representatives, meanwhile, remain exasperated with the trunk road authority's failure to change the traffic light system installed in the town.

Members maintain the sequencing of the system and the lack of a filter for traffic turning left off Traill Street is creating longer tailbacks during rush hours. "The lights are a disgrace," complained Mr Mackay.

Members heard contractor Scotland TranServ has agreed to carry out a further survey.

The community council is also pressing the firm to bring forward its plans to resurface Olrig Street.

Meanwhile, the Highland Council is being asked to consider extending the safety railings erected last year at the town's harbour.

The community council is keen to see the railings run from the fish shop to the old slipway. The work has been costed at around £3000.

iain-grant@ukf.net

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